Recent reports have indicated Getzlaf has been skating on his own again, which is glorious news to all Duck’s fans. Getzlaf was injured on December 28th against the Coyotes. His injury was devastating to all Ducks fans. Not only is he the captain of this team, but he is one of the best playmakers in the NHL. I could go on and on about what the Ducks are missing without him in the lineup, but has it really mattered? The Ducks have been phenomenal without Getzl
af in the lineup.
Since Getzlaf’s injury, the Ducks have won 9 out of 12 games including the Philadelphia Flyers, the number one team in the Eastern Conference, and their division rival San Jose Sharks. They have scored 36 goals and recorded 2 shutouts in those 12 games. Without Getzlaf’s prowess in the shootout, the Ducks still managed to win 2 out of 2 with help from Ryan, Perry and Selanne.
How the team has managed to flourish without him comes from those three guys mentioned previously. Perry and Ryan have been stepping up their game, scoring goals and setting up plays in absence of Getzlaf. Selanne has kept up his magic on the power-play and has yet to disappoint this season. Other players have been bringing their A game, such as youngsters Dan Sexton and Matt Beleskey.
As always, it comes down to the goaltending. Hiller has been absolutely spectacular this season, and he shows no signs of letting up. The only issue is overplaying him, due to the lack of a solid backup goalie (but thats for another post). Hiller has been getting some help from a solid defense, which has allowed 30 goals. Rookie Cam Fowler, italian hero Luca Sbisa and possibly the most impressive Lubomir Visnovsky have kept this team in contention Visnovsky currently has 8 goals and 35 assists in 51 games.
The most important thing about Getzlaf’s absence is the fact that the Ducks can survive without him. This is critical because it has not hurt their chances to make playoffs. Things will only improve on his return.